1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a navigation apparatus, and more particularly to a navigation apparatus that concurrently records image data and tire pressure data, and a method for monitoring vehicle safety via the navigation apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a system that receives satellite signals and analyzes satellite orbiting data to find the location of a satellite, and then computes the positional data including longitude and latitude coordinates, direction, and speed of a receiver via a trigonometric positioning algorithm. Since GPS is a high-precision positioning system which is unaffected by location and time, the GPS service and its related products are widely used. In a variety of different new products, GPS is used as navigation apparatus for obtaining positioning information and providing route guidance.
Referring to FIG. 1 a schematic view of the system architecture of a conventional navigation apparatus 10 is shown. The navigation apparatus 10 includes a GPS module 11, a central processing unit 13, a memory unit 15, and a display interface 17. The GPS module 11 includes an antenna 111 and a signal processing unit 113. The antenna 111 receives a satellite signal and transmits the satellite signal to a signal processing unit 113 for amplifying, filtering and digitizing the signal, and then transmits the digital satellite signal to the central processing unit 13. The memory unit 15 is provided for storing software, receiving data, and processing programs, navigated formula computation programs and electronic maps, wherein the electronic map is a vector map composed of longitude and latitude coordinates. The central processing unit 13 executes the aforementioned software to compute and analyze the satellite signals, unload the electronic map from the memory unit 15, superimpose the received positional data on the map, output the result through the display interface 17, and provide route guidance for the user.
At present, automobile navigation apparatuses are divided into two main models: a model that embeds a GPS module and an electronic map into a motor vehicle and integrates them with a computer and a display device of the motor vehicle, and a second model that affixes a portable navigation apparatus near the driver's seat. Since the price of a motor vehicle increases if the navigation apparatus is built into the motor vehicle and older models of motor vehicles seldom come with navigation functions, the most common method is the second model of affixing a portable navigation apparatus in a motor vehicle to serve as an automobile navigation apparatus.
As we all know, car accidents generally cause tremendous damage the vehicles and injury or death to those involved. Some drivers install a camera at the front side of the motor vehicle to take pictures as the motor vehicle is driving that records images of an accident for evidence. Furthermore, the number of motor vehicles is continuously increasing, and thus driving safety is becoming a more important issue. Since the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that is based upon micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) technology was introduced, the tire pressure and temperature of a motor vehicle can be monitored. When, as an example, a tire leaks or the pressure of the tire becomes low, an alarm signal will be issued to warn the driver about the condition of the tire, so as to help prevent accidents. Since tire pressure is indispensably related to driving safety the tire pressure monitoring system has gradually become a necessary piece of equipment for all motor vehicles.
Since communication and network technologies are currently developing rapidly, navigation apparatuses further have begun to include communication and network functions to provide diversified services to users. The navigation apparatuses of this sort not only satisfy a user's entertainment requirements, but also bear a hidden risk in that they can distract a driver and lead to car accidents. There is no portable navigation apparatus currently available in the market that integrates the aforementioned image recording and tire pressure monitoring functions. In view of this situation, the inventor of the present invention intends to integrate image recording and tire pressure monitoring functions into a navigation apparatus, so as to enhance the navigation apparatus and improve driving safety.